Now that you have found those special wines,  it is just as important that you store them in a manner that will allow them to maintain and develop their character.  A good investment would be a wine cooler. I would start with a 6 to 18 bottle capacity freestanding appliance. Pick a size that best fits your needs and budget. Some features to look for are a state of the art thermoelectric cooling system and separate storage for red and white wine with dual temperature controls. Keeping your wines at the proper temperature is important because if stored above 65F wine will age prematurely causing a loss of flavor and balance. Kept too cold, wine will lose its flavor and aroma. Store your red wine at 50F-55F and white wine at 45F-50F. Don’t store your bottles in the kitchen because the temperature fluctuations will damage the wine. Another good storage practice is to store bottles horizontally to keep the cork moist and tight in the neck. Never leave your bottles exposed to sunlight or your home heating system. Maintaining a constant temperature is very important in storing wine but you  must also remember to serve your wine at the correct temperature.  Don’t serve any wine over 68F and if in doubt serve the wine on the colder side. This will allow its aroma to be released as it warms up. When serving a high alcohol red try extra chilling, this should smooth out the harsh alcohol taste. Following these simple practices should allow you to get even more enjoyment from your wine.   

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